This Directive harmonises the provisions on the interior fittings of motor vehicles. The interior fittings are described as "interior parts of the passenger compartment other than the interior rear-view mirrors, layout of controls, the roof or sliding roof, the backrest and rear part of the seats"

Henceforth, no Member State may refuse to grant EEC type approval or national type approval of a vehicle on grounds relating to its interior fittings.

In addition to providing the harmonisation necessary for the internal market, the objective of the technical harmonisation laid down in the Directive is to reduce the risk or the severity of injuries of which motor vehicle drivers may be victims and thereby ensure road safety throughout the entire Community.

For example, the Annexes to the Directive specify that forward interior parts of the passenger compartment must not contain any dangerous roughness or sharp edges likely to increase the risk of serious injury to the occupants. Moreover, the hand-brake control, if mounted on or under the instrument panel, must be so placed that, when it is released, there is no possibility of occupants of the vehicle's contacting it in the event of a frontal impact.

Directive 78/632/EEC adapts the previous Directive to technical progress. In view of the experience gained and of the state of the art, Directive 78/632/EEC makes it possible to match the requirements more closely to actual test conditions.

The purpose of this Directive is to insert into Directive 74/60/EEC specifications for power-operated windows and power-operated roof panel and partition systems and to amend the title and scope of Directive 74/60/EEC so as to permit the subsequent introduction of specific provisions for vehicles other than private cars.